Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-02
THE EXAMINER" APOLOGIES FOR
MR.. SH0AFF AND MAKES A MESS


The San Francisco Examiner is Il Demo-
cratic organ; the Superintendent of State
Printing is Democratic office-holder
The Examiner feels in duty bound to de-
fend Mr.. Shoaff. 1t has accordingly in
vestigated his management, as related to
the school book fund. When partisan
approaches the investigation of his own,
he does SO at great disadvantage. 1t is
all but impossible to see clearly through
glasses ill-suited to the vision
The Examiner, therefore, proceeded to
inquire into Mr.. Shoaff's case with the
intent of haying his accusers alive. 1t
sent one of its best writers and statisticians
to investigate the situation, and he did SO
with vigor. The Examiner, as result,
where ii went in roaring as lion, comes
out cooling as a dove, and humbly begging
that Mr.. Shoaf be mercifully dealt with.
1t only musters up enough Of courage to
Intimate that some one has said that the
Superintendent is "defaulter"
As the RECORD UNION was his chief ac-
cuser it is warranted in saying that it never
50 charged Mr.. Shoaff 1t made its
charges only after patient examination
1t did not make them in any partisan
spirit. 1t did not prefer them anxious to
iniure Mr.. Shoaf as an individual or an
officer, nor to promote the interests of any
department or official of any department,
either friendly or adverse to Mr.. Shoaf.
II had neither foe nor friend in the matter
to consider. Il has from the inception of
the idea been warm and enthusiast
tie friend and advocate OF the new
school book system. it found chat the
books a given sum set apart by the Leg
islature for the purpose, should produce,
were not turned out. 1t found this to be
due to the fact that Mr.. Shoaa had had
other than school book work done for the
State, and paid for out of the school book
fund in violation of the sworn obligations
of his trust.
1t therefore said, and does say, that he
is incompetent, and that fact is established
BY the muddIe he has got the funds into,
10y mingling the State work and book
work, to the diversion of some thousands
of dollars from the fund of the one TO the
fund OF the other. This is little short of
malfeasance, and we have so pronounced
the ineompetency. Even the Examiner,
after fortnight of stony silence and
anxious investigation, is compelled to say
while there has probably been bad judg-
ment, and even 4 certain degree of care
lessneSs in his office, there is nothing
which deserves the name of dishonesty or
defalcation'
Who has said there was? The Examiner
puts it very mildly. but is driven to COR
fess the "bad Judgment and Certain de-
gree of carelessness" by which the school
book fund has been despoiled of a large
sum of money. If the book rings had
planned to wound the State school book
scheme, Mr.. Shoaff's conduct would bear
the construction of having been intended
to work in the traces alongside of such
plans.
The Examiners defense of Mr.. Shoaff
goes no farther than to present the Print
er's plant that he is unable to keep the
two departments of work distinct; that
he believed all the arithmetics were COM
PIeted, when he so reported, and was mis-
led by employees so to state. 1t appears
that in technical understanding in Mr..
shoaff's ofiice-and probably IN it alone
the employees treat an edition of books as
complete when all are printed, and one copy
bound. Oh this technically Mr.. Shoaff
confesses his ignorance, though the adnis-
sion is scarece needed.
Beyond this the Examiner promises
that the Superintendent presently will
make full statement of the affairs and
accounts OF his office, in which he will adj
nit all the REcoRD-ENIoN has charged
against him-that he has used school-book
funds TO do general State printing and
which, we submit, establishes his ineom-
potency beyond eavil. BY this admission
he confesses to having deprived the sacred
financial trust set up Tor the benefit of the !